The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-03-24
cupied with the least disadvantage an

cupied with the least disadvantage am
danger to England.
Assume the worst, and picture Rus
sia seated ON the Bosphorus with the
control of the Dardanelles. Accordins
to all the accepted traditions of English
craftsmanship, such a consummation
would be equivalent to the end of the
British empire, the one great and aw-
full calamity to avoid which all our re-
sources should be expended and the
four quarters of the world involved in
war. But is this so? 1t would be un-
fortunate, certainly. -Constantinople
is wonderful city; the Bosphorus is
magnificent port. But Marseilles is
also great city. Venice is a great city;
Toulon, Spezzia, and Fiume are great
ports; and yet in the face of all of
them the work of the British empire
goes on and prospers. Why is it so
self-evident that the existence of one
more great military power upon the
Mediterranean could conjure up a
danger which the presence of the great
French, italian, and Austrian strong
holds has not yet created? To Austria,
doubtless, the establishment of Russia
at Constantinople may be death; that
is owing to the internal constitution of
the Austrian empire, which no power
can alter. But for England there is no
such danger, and consequently no such
need for conflict.
But it will be said there is the Suez
canal-the Suez canal is the key to In
dia. Russia on the Mediterranean will
threaten the canal, and will have it in
her power to seize the key of India.
Now, in the first place, say that the
Suez canal, save in time of peace, is
not the key to India, but that, on the
contrary, it is dangerous temptation
laid before our eyes to lead us to neg
lect the real and only true key to our
Indian empire. The road to India in
time of war is round the cape and not
through the canal, and if II hundredth
part of the money which has been
spent in securing us from ina yinary
dangers in north Africa had been ex-
pended upon Notifications and docks
at Simon's bay and Cape Town the
terrible dangers of the present situa-
ton would have been reduced to 4
minimum.
AS European power in competition
with the armed states of the continent
England is at a hopeless and permanen,
disadvantage, As member of con.
| federated empire of sea-bordered En-.
| glish-speaking states she will he in ar
absolutely impregnable position. in
which the quarrels and chickering's OF
the European governments will be ab
solutely without Importance, and only
interesting as study Of contemporary
history in its smaller developments
So long as we give hostages to Europe
by claiming an interest in its quarrels
and right to participate in them, 81
long shall we be at their mercy. Th'
day on which we declare, once for all
that we have no concern with the do
mestic politics of Europe, and inform
our enemies, if we have any, that i
they wish to quarrel with us they mus
take to the water to obtain satisfaction
we Shall enter upon Il new and brighte
period of our history, At present tia
indiscretion Of Roumanian patrol, tn
ambition of n Russian colonel, or tn
intrigues of a Greek patriot may dra:
us at Il days notice into conflict il
which we have nothing to win an
everything to lose, and in which w
must inevitably spend our blood an
money in serving the cause of othe
nations.
Already events are helping to i'm
press upon the colonies the nature an
extent of the privilege and of the It
sponsibility. Our real through rout
to the east has within the past fey
months been completed through til
west. Already the military authorize
in India are looking to Australia rs
base of supply which can be reache
more easily than England. The prope
fertilization of Esquimalt. Sydney
Singapore, Simon's bay, and Mauritiu
will make us absolutely independent {
the Suez canal. Close the cape rout
and Sydney and Melbourne are sti
open. If the great Australian port
are momentarily unavailable, the Cans
dian Pacific railway will once more al
able us to turn the flank of any enemy
The one and only route, thrOughou
the greater part of which we move o
sutferance under the guns of ever
man-drilling power in Europe, Is til
one on which we expend all our for,
thought and all our resources. 1t
time that we recognized the new fact
of the political situation.
All this comes of our forgetting ths
q new England has sprung up, destine
to be infinitely greater and intinitel
more powerful than the old on the on
condition that she breaks forever wit
the old tradition which made her on
of the old land powers of Europe, an
accepts the new and brighter role {
the greatest sea power of the world
H. o. Foster, in Nineteenth Century.